I Know You
by white-doe
Summary: Casey knows Derek better than anyone else in the world, but there are some things he has kept hidden even from himself. What will happen when both he and Casey discover something that could change the way they see each other? *DASEY* COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1: Realizations

**A/N: I got the idea for this story while listening to the song "I know you" by Lori McKenna but it is not really a songfic cause the lyrics don't really fit. Anyway, it is my first stab at a multi-chapter fic and only my second story overall, so please R&R!**

I Know You

Chapter 1: Realization

"Der-EK!!" the familiar shriek rang through the McDonald-Venturi household as Casey stormed down the stairs in her pajamas holding something that looked like confetti.

Casey stomped into the kitchen where her step-brother was sitting at the counter eating his cereal. When she reached him she threw the paper shreds at him angrily and they stuck at odd angles in his messy chestnut hair. Un-phased, he simply turned around and smiled innocently at the fuming girl in front of him.

"What could I have possibly done this time, my dear stepsister?" he asked.

"UH! You KNOW what you did, Derek. You shredded my extra credit history report! I worked for hours on it and know it is confetti! Why would you do that?" she asked with a twinge of hurt in her face.

Derek just rolled his eyes. "Oh please, Case. First of all, I did it because I was bored and I just found my scissors. And second, I think I did you a favor. I know for a fact that you already have a ninety-seven percent in that class and if you turned in that report when you didn't even need the extra-credit you will never escape your grade-grubber keener reputation."

Casey thought for a second, obviously torn between her annoyance and acceptance of his words. After all, what he said was true, but she was still mad at him for ruining her hard work.

"Whatever, don't act like you actually did it to help me, you were just trying to bother me," she said finally.

"Hey, believe whatever you want. Just remember to thank me when you aren't at the complete bottom of the social ladder. Although really, I can only do so much for someone so naturally prone to being un-cool." Derek put his empty bowl in the sink and started heading for the door. Only then did Casey notice he was already fully dressed and ready for school.

"Derek, why are you leaving so early?" she asked.

"What do you mean early?" he said mischievously before continuing. "Oh, that's right; I forgot that I set you clock back half an hour. Well, you better get ready quick, school starts in ten minutes. Bye, Case!"

"UGH!" she screamed to no one, since he had already left the house. She ran upstairs and hurriedly got dressed and ready, only to realize that Derek had taken the car. Both George and Nora were gone and Emily most likely would have left already, so Casey had no choice but to walk, scratch that, run to school.

Somehow she arrived only a few minutes late, and because of her disheveled appearance and out-of-breath explanations she even avoided detention. But she was absolutely livid at Derek who was laughing at her from the back of the class as she ran in. She took her seat near the front with only one thing on her mind: revenge.

Her opportunity was practically thrown in her lap that weekend. Sally was over as usual hanging out. When Derek left the room for a minute to get a snack, she pulled Casey aside.

"What's up, Sally?" Casey asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about Derek," she said seriously, glancing back towards the kitchen to make sure he wasn't around. "Listen, I don't want him to overhear so do you mind coming by Smelly Nelly's tonight since he is not working?"

"Um, Sally, I don't really think that is a good idea. I mean, Derek and I kind of have this agreement where we don't get involved in each other's personal lives…" she trailed off uncertainly, remembering the pranks he had pulled on her earlier in the week. "You know what; on second thought I think it should be fine. Meet you there tonight." Casey said devilishly.

"Thank you so much Casey, I really need someone level-headed to talk to!" Sally said sweetly, almost making Casey feel guilty for the devilish plan forming in her mind.

Casey strolled into Smelly Nelly's later that night feeling better than she had all week. After everything Derek had pulled lately she was about to have a serious conversation with his girlfriend specifically about him. It was her perfect opportunity to tell Sally exactly the kind of guy Derek really was. This was going to be good.

"Hey Case," Sally said sitting into the booth opposite her, "I am on break. Thanks for coming, I just figured since you are Derek's sister you must know him pretty well."

"I am not his sister," she said, probably too strongly, "but yeah, I guess I must after living with him."

"Right…well, anyway, we have been dating for awhile now and I know he likes me but sometimes I am just not sure how he actually feels about me, you know?" she looked contemplative for a moment. "I just wish he would take some things more seriously. And it's also been bothering me how he treats you and other people, I mean, I want to believe he is really a good guy but it seems like I have to force him to be nice sometimes, like at Marti's birthday." She sighed and looked at Casey pleadingly.

Casey looked at Sally and thought about what she was saying. She thought about what she had planned, remembered all the mean things Derek had done to her in the past and was almost ready to tell Sally all of the bad things about him.

But then she started to think about the way Derek was when he was with Sally. She thought of how happy she made him, and of the nice things Derek had done for her in the past. No, he really was a good guy at heart she knew, and she just couldn't find it in hers to ruin his relationship. So she tried to put her animosity behind her and told Sally the truth about Derek.

"Sally, don't worry. I know for a fact that Derek likes you more than he has ever liked anyone. He has trouble expressing his feelings in words but he shows them in other ways. The way he looks at you like no one else is around, the way he is happier when you are with him, the fact that when you talk he actually listens…" Casey trailed off thinking of Derek, almost forgetting her point.

"Ahem. As far as taking things more seriously, it is hard for him because he is so used to putting up this cool guy front that it is hard for him to let his defenses down so he makes jokes and is immature so he won't have to deal with real life. He is just scared, really. And honestly, I know it seems like I would be the last person to say this but he really IS a decent guy. He pulls his little pranks but he would never actually hurt anyone intentionally, and when worst comes to worst he is always there for the people he cares about," Casey finished, a little surprised that she meant everything she said.

Sally looked intensely relieved. "Wow Casey, I half expected for you to tell me what a horrible guy he was. But what you said makes a lot of sense, I guess I will just have to let Derek take his time and show me how he feels in his own way. Thanks so much, how did you know all of that?" she asked.

Casey was now feeling horrible, a new realization gnawing at the back of her mind. "Like you said, I know him." She said sadly, still pushing back the thought that was trying to creep into her head.

"Is that all you wanted to talk about 'cause I should really get home," she said.

Sally was by now positively beaming, all of her doubts about her boyfriend having been erased. So she told Casey goodbye and returned to work. Casey walked out of the restaurant in a daze. Finally she was alone in her car and it was then that she let her full realization hit her. Something she had realized while she was talking to Sally, although she suspected she had known it for some time: she had fallen for her stepbrother.

**A/N: This first chapter turned out differently than I expected, but I suppose the story has a mind of its own. Please, please review! I will get the next chapter up soon so any suggestions you have for my writing would be great! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2: Confrontations

Chapter 2: Confrontations

When Casey got home she ran up the stairs and locked herself in her room. She threw herself on her bed, heart racing both from running and from her epiphany. She couldn't like Derek, it was so wrong. But now that she had finally admitted it to herself she knew she couldn't deny it any longer. She thought about how she secretly loved their arguments, how her eyes always lingered on him whenever he came into a room, how the very thought of him made her heart race.

But she knew Derek, probably better than anyone else, and she knew that he would never feel the same way about her. He was completely crazy about Sally as she had just told her, and even if he wasn't he would never think of her as more than a mere annoyance.

Just as she was lost in thought she heard a loud and obnoxious banging on her door.

"CASEY! OPEN UP NOW!" Derek was yelling through the door.

Casey groaned and moved slowly off the bed, not ready to face him but seeing no other choice. As soon as she unlocked her door he stormed in past her. She couldn't help but notice how amazing he looked when he was irritated, his muscles flexing angrily and his soft chestnut hair looking disheveled and way too touchable. So lost in her thoughts was Casey that she didn't even hear what he was saying.

"Are you even listening?" he finally yelled.

"Umm…can you repeat that?" she asked embarrassedly.

"Can I repeat that? Oh, sure, try to pay attention this time. According to Edwin you went to talk to Sally tonight about ME! I thought we agreed that you were going to stay out of my personal life! Where do you get off going behind my back and…and… _talking_ to my girlfriend?"

Forgetting her embarrassment and muddled brain she was immediately furious.

"_Excuse_ me but I can talk to whomever I want! And did Edwin happen to mention that Sally asked to talk to me or did he miss that in his eavesdropping?"

"It doesn't matter; you should have told her no. What the hell could she have to talk to you about anyway?"

"YOU, Derek! I can't believe that you come in here screaming at me about interfering with your life when I just saved your relationship with Sally for the _second_ time!" she was yelling right in his face now. At her words his angry expression faltered for the first time.

"What…what do you mean?" he asked uncertainly.

Casey calmly told him everything Sally had said to her. He looked at her in shock as she spoke and when she finished he dropped onto her bed unceremoniously with his head in his hands. After a moment he looked up at her pleadingly.

"Well…what did you say to her?" he asked in a strangled voice.

She sighed and sat down next to him, very conscious of his presence and the fact that he was on her bed. Pushing these unnerving thoughts away she looked at him and told him the truth, or at least what he needed to know.

"I told her that you were a good guy but you just had trouble expressing your feelings. Don't worry; she seemed completely at ease when I left. But you might want to try taking your relationship a little more seriously," she said gently.

He looked at her with shock and gratitude filling his gorgeous brown eyes. She looked away, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. Derek picked up on this and took his cue, standing up to leave.

"Well, um, I guess I owe you…I mean you didn't have to…" now he looked really uncomfortable but Casey took pity on him and didn't force the awkward apologetic gratitude.

"Don't mention it Derek, really. I know how you feel about Sally, I would hate to see you mess it up by just being yourself," she said nudging him playfully.

"Hey!" he said, but smiled at her anyway making her heart flutter annoyingly. He left her room and she was once again alone with her confusion.

Casey didn't come out of her room for the rest of the night. She told her mother that she had already eaten when she called her for dinner and even ignored all of her phone calls. Not knowing what else to do she tried to do her homework even though it was Saturday but couldn't concentrate on anything she was doing.

Finally she ended up just lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. She wasn't sure if it was better to think or not so she ended up in an annoying state of half-thought; every time she would start to think about Derek or her feelings for him she would veer her thoughts off in a completely different direction.

The result was a lot of run on sentences in her head, something like 'It would never work, he is my stepbrother and I should really color coordinate my binders with my pens but he is such a great guy and I think it is time to re-alphabetize my CDs since Sally makes him so happy now where did I put those history notes I wonder if I should make a copy for Derek I can't believe I like a guy who never listens in class maybe I will knit a new scarf...'

It went on like this for more than an hour until she realized that it was a futile effort. But she still didn't know what to do. She couldn't do any of the things she usually did when she had a problem: there was no way she could talk to Emily or Lizzie about this and she couldn't imagine making a list and risking someone in the house finding it.

In the end she had no other options but to think her way through her problem, the very thing she had been trying to stop herself from doing all night. So Casey began to pace her room and think and after awhile she started speaking aloud to herself. Finally she was having a full on argument with herself.

"After all, what am I thinking not only is he my stepbrother but he is also such a jerk! But he can be really sweet sometimes and he has helped me out more than a few times not to mention he is so attractive. That is so shallow of me, he doesn't even work hard in school but he really is smart if he would just apply himself more, I could help him reach his potential if we were together."

"Who am I kidding he would never like a girl like me; I am just his super-keener klutzilla stepsister. Hey, wait; he is the one who is not good enough for me. Yeah, that's it, why would I be interested in a loser like him even if he is the coolest, hottest guy in our school. No, he is not that great, there are plenty of better guys around, I should just go out with someone else. Yes, that is what I will do, I probably only developed these feelings because I am still vulnerable from my breakup with Max and Derek is the only guy I have spent any time with lately."

Making a decision that she felt good about Casey picked up the phone and dialed the number that she had written on a post-it on her desk.

"May I speak to Noel? Oh, hi, it's me, Casey. I know; it has been way too long. So listen I was wondering if you wanted to maybe go out some time. Um, no, Max and I are defiantly over. I was actually hoping you might be able to do something tomorrow; we could go out to lunch or something. Really? That is great! So, pick me up around one tomorrow? Great! See you then! Bye!"

Casey hung up the phone feeling good about her decision. Noel was a really great guy who liked her a lot. She was sure that as soon as she started going out with someone new she would forget all about this silly little crush on Derek. Feeling better than she had all night Casey realized how hungry she was from missing dinner. Looking at the clock that read nine thirty she become conscious of just how long she had spent locked in her room. Feeling a little silly she made her way down the stairs to the kitchen.

She was surprised to see the light on when she got down the stairs. Taken aback by the presence in the kitchen she almost didn't go in, but knew that she had to face Derek sooner or later. Besides, she had already solved that problem so she strode into the kitchen with her head held high.

"Miss Drama Queen emerges. Honestly I thought you were done moping over Max days ago, how about you just suck it up and move on?" he said, smirking at her.

Casey was thrown completely off guard. He thought she had been brooding over Max. She almost laughed at the irony and couldn't help but wonder what he would say if he knew the truth. However she was a little annoyed by his insinuation.

"I was not moping, I just wanted some time to myself and I had a lot of stuff to get done. And for your information I happen to have a date with Noel tomorrow," she said haughtily.

Derek's face clouded for a second but he hid it with a mocking look. "That guy from the musical? Could you pick someone any more lame?"

"What is it to you who I date?" she asked angrily.

"Hey, I couldn't care less, feel free to marry that poetry writing loser but just know that I will be too busy hanging with cool people to come to your social outcast themed wedding," he shot back.

Casey told herself that the jealously she detected in his voice was just wishful thinking on her part and silently cursed herself for it. She really needed to get over this crush fast. She was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't notice Derek moving closer to her until she could feel the heat coming off of his body. He was leaning in towards her and reaching around her, his arm brushing against her waist.

"Casey," he said, looking at her strangely. He was so close they were eye to eye and she could feel his hot breath.

"W-what are you…" she said breathlessly and he looked at her even more strangely.

"Can you move 'cause you are completely blocking the fridge," he said.

At that moment she would have given anything to disappear completely, especially since she could feel her cheeks flush to a deep scarlet. All she could do was mutter a 'sorry' and bolt around him, tripping on her way up the stairs and feeling like a complete idiot. Trying to erase the memory of Derek's body so near her own she threw herself back onto her bed and screamed into her pillow, sick with the knowledge that her crush might not be as easy to beat as she had hoped.

**A/N: Awww…poor Casey. Like I said before this story really does have a mind of its own, I wasn't planning on torturing her like that but it just turned out that way lol. Please let me know what you think, I could really use some constructive criticism before writing chapter three. Thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3: Distractions

**A/N: Hot DASEY action, hehe, sort of…Anyway I know the start of this chapter is kind of clichéd but I just couldn't resist. Please read and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW (hint hint). Oh yeah, and I meant to say this on chapter one but I forgot so: I do not own Life with Derek or any of the characters etc. However the plot and other aspects of the story are all mine (as far as I know at least.)**

Chapter 3: Distractions

He was so close to her that they were breathing the same air. He leaned in, the familiar glint in his deep brown eyes. Their lips met soft at first but then harder, more passionate. "Casey…" he whispered her name and it sounded sweeter on his lips than anyone else's. He grabbed her and roughly pushed her against the wall setting her body afire. Suddenly there was a noise in the distance and they both looked worried for a moment. "Don't…" he pleaded.

But it was too late, Casey woke up. The details of her dream came back to her and she groaned and rolled over in her bed feeling utterly exhausted despite having been asleep all night. She looked at the clock and was shocked to see that it was nearly noon and remembered that her date with Noel was in an hour.

Jumping out of bed she walked to the bathroom to take a shower only to realize that someone was already using it. Cursing Derek in every incarnation she rapped on the door and yelled for him to hurry up. She waited fuming by the door for awhile longer and was almost going to leave when she heard the water shut off and the door opened taking her by surprise.

Derek stood before her dripping wet in nothing but a towel that was wrapped around his waist and riding dangerously low on his hips. Casey felt like her heart was going to explode as she used all her self control to stop herself from gaping at his body, but she still had to sneak a peek at his well-toned form and was not disappointed by his glistening muscles.

"Excuse me, Princess, but this is when I always shower on Sundays. It is not my fault that you overslept on the one day you actually had plans," he said irritably.

Casey fought the overpowering urge to turn around and watch him as he walked past her to his bedroom. She went into the bathroom in a daze and took a shower, glad for once that Derek had used all the hot water.

She continued to get ready in a hurried daze, wondering where the time was going. While she was finishing putting on her makeup the doorbell rang downstairs. Shoot, she thought as she ran down the stairs, tripping on the way. As she picked herself up she noticed that Derek had answered the door and was talking to Noel in the foyer. Walking down to meet them she tried to keep her eyes trained on the right guy.

"Hey Noel!" she said cheerfully.

"Casey!" he replied happily turning towards her. "You look great!"

That was the idea; she thought harshly but replied with a sweet thank you, silently chastising herself for not giving Noel more of a chance. If she felt like being honest with herself she would know that she was really annoyed that he was the one in the foyer that she was about to go out with as opposed to Derek.

"I don't know, isn't it a little cold for that skirt?" Derek said tensely glaring at her outfit.

"No, I don't." Casey replied wondering where this strange burst of protectiveness was coming from. The two glared at each other for a moment longer and Casey almost forgot that Noel was there until he spoke to her.

"I got you these; I saw them and thought of you since they are your favorite color," he said, handing her a beautiful bouquet of yellow flowers. Too bad her favorite color was really…

"Her favorite color is pink you loser," Derek said scathingly, surprising everyone including himself.

"Oh, I'm sorry Casey; I guess I was wrong…" Noel said apologetically.

She smiled and took the flowers. "Don't be, they are beautiful. Besides," she looked at Derek, "I love the color yellow."

Derek just rolled his eyes and left, muttering something that sounded like "but it's not your favorite." After a slightly awkward silence Casey suggested they go.

After an oddly quiet car ride they arrived at the restaurant and finally settled into a comfortable conversation. Casey was actually enjoying herself a lot but in the back of her mind she couldn't stop thinking about Derek. Was the jealously she thought she detected really all in her mind?

"Casey? You ok, you seem a little distracted," Noel asked.

"Huh? Yeah, I am fine Der-NOEL," she said embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't really sleep very well last night, I am probably just tired."

"Oh, well, do you want me to take you home?"

"No, no, really I am fine. I am having a really nice time with you, thanks for going out with me," she said.

"You're thanking me? I thought I was dreaming when you called me last night. I have had a major crush on you since the musical. I kept trying to get up the courage to ask you out but you were dating Max and then you went all cheerleader…anyway, it is good to have the real Casey back."

Casey bridled slightly at his comments. "I am still a cheerleader, you know."

He looked surprised but recovered quickly. "Oh, of course, Casey McDonald doesn't shirk her commitments," he said with a smile and she beamed back at him.

The rest of the date passed very enjoyably. She found Noel to be ridiculously sweet and mildly funny if not a little too generic. Casey could even convince herself at times that Derek was not on her mind. Overall the day was a success for her purposes, but even so she shirked his attempts at a goodnight kiss and hugged him casually instead before going into her house.

She told her mom hello and then headed up the stairs towards her room. She walked very slowly past Derek's room. The door was closed and she couldn't help but wonder what he was doing in there. She approached but could not hear anything inside so she sighed to herself and went across the hall to her own room.

Casey closed the door behind her and when she turned around she almost had a heart attack. Derek was standing in front of her, smirking as she jumped startled.

"Der-EK! What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"Oh, you know, hanging out," he shrugged and sat down on her bed.

"What do you want?" she asked tiredly.

"How was your _date_?" he asked coldly.

"It was absolutely fantastic," she embellished but he didn't seem to buy it.

"Oh yes, I am sure it was. I honestly don't know how you pick these losers."

"Noel is not a loser. He is…artsy," she said defensively. "Besides, you always said you liked Max and the guy I dated before him happened to have been your best friend. But I will let Sam know how highly you think of him."

Derek turned serious for a moment. "You know what I mean. None of them are ever right for you. This Noel guy didn't even know your favorite color."

Casey was taken aback once again. "It was our first date, how would he know? Where…where is this coming from?"

He stood up from her bed looking uncomfortable as if he didn't know what to say. After a long silence he seemed to come to a conclusion and simply shrugged. "You know, just trying to do the brother thing once and awhile."

Casey flinched at his casual use of the term brother but he didn't notice and continued without meeting her gaze.

"I mean…well, you were really broken up about Max for awhile and I…well it was really annoying having to pick up your slack around the house while you moped around so next time choose a guy who won't leave you crying in the middle of the night when I am trying to sleep. Honestly, our rooms are right by each other and it is annoying." He looked up at her as if trying to convey what he was actually saying and Casey thought she understood.

"Sure, Derek, I will be careful. You know, just so I won't interrupt your beauty sleep," she smiled at him and they stood there for a moment just looking at one another until it became uncomfortable. With one last smirk Derek left her room, leaving her alone with her fiercely beating heart.

After he left Casey walked over to her desk and turned on her computer looking for anything to distract her. She e-mailed Noel and set up another date for later in the week but could think of nothing to do in the present to take her mind off of her stepbrother.

Why did he have to pick now to give her one of those rare glimpses into his sweet side? It would be so much easier if he would just act like the jerk she knew he was, but she suspected that even that would only increase her infatuation. There was just something about him that she found irresistible. Maybe, she thought, instead of trying to distract herself she should try and figure out what it was that attracted her to Derek in the first place. After all, she was a firm believer of getting to the root of one's problems.

So Casey decided that in the next week she would observe Derek and analyze their interactions in the hopes of pinpointing the source of her crush. She theorized that once she knew this vital piece of information she would be able to cure herself of her affliction. Plus, as a voice in the back of her mind told her, there was not a better way she could think of to spend the week than "observing" Derek.

**A/N: Not my best chapter, but I sure had fun writing it ;) Please R&R, I promise the next chapter will be better, I just had to push through this one to beat my writers block but now the ideas are flowing again! **


	4. Chapter 4: Observations

**A/N: This chapter had a longer wait than the others but it is a longer chapter so hopefully it balances out********. Please REVIEW, reviews make me smile! I do not own Life With Derek or any of the characters. **

Chapter 4: Observations

Casey looked down at the list she was preparing on making, wondering again why she chose to create such incriminating evidence. But then again, she rationalized, there was nothing specifically about Derek in her notes and if pressed she could say they were about someone else. Besides, it was past time that she got her thoughts organized.

She had made a chart that she planned on filling in with her observations of Derek. Surely this way she could figure out what it was that attracted her to him and also help herself focus on the many negative aspects of her stepbrother. It was Monday morning so she speculated that by the end of the week she should have her answer.

Putting her plan into action as soon as possible, Casey got ready and then went down the stairs and asked Derek if he would give her a ride to school. He hesitantly agreed after some prompting from his father and before long they were alone in the car together.

Casey took this opportunity to appreciate the physical aspects of his attractiveness. She was studying him as he drove, taking mental notes of the graceful curve of his lips, the touchable look to his hair, the adorable serious expression he adopted when he drove.

"What are you staring at?" he asked without turning his head and she nearly jumped out of her seat. Casey silently cursed herself for forgetting about peripheral vision.

"Well?" he asked, glancing at her this time.

"I am not staring at anything, don't be so vain," she said tensely before turning to look out her window to hide the blush on her cheeks.

He turned and smirked at her. "Oh come on, even you can't resist my good looks."

"Oh, just watch the road," she said tiredly.

"A ha! You didn't deny that I was good looking," he said triumphantly causing Casey to blush deeper.

"You are so…not," she replied weakly.

"Convincing," he scoffed. "Don't be embarrassed, many have been rendered speechless by my devilish charm. But…" he looked her up and down, "you are not so bad yourself. However I really prefer blondes."

Casey's heart stopped for a split second when he complimented her but immediately sunk with his latter comment. Blondes, of course, she thought, remembering Kendra and more recently Sally.

They rode the rest of the way in silence, Casey determinedly avoiding looking at Derek. Before long they arrived at school and she practically jumped out of the car and ran into the building to find Emily. Her heart was still pounding as she thought about Derek.

She really couldn't deny that he was physically attractive. But his vanity had really bothered her; it was not one of his best qualities. Deciding she would rather be alone she abandoned her search for her friend and went to her first class early. Sitting in her desk she took out her small pink notebook and began to record what she had discovered.

_Personality: VanityNegative Physical: Eyes/Face/HairWay too Positive_

_ Other Notes: Prefers Blondes_

"Don't tell me you came into class early to study again," said a voice from behind her, startling her.

The voice belonged to her best friend Emily who had walked into class and sat in the desk next to her. Casey quickly slammed the notebook shut but not before Emily glimpsed what she had been working on.

"That wouldn't have been guy research, would it? I thought that was my area of expertise," Emily said teasingly.

"It wasn't guy research!" Casey protested, but her friend just gave her a look and she sighed. "Ok, so maybe it was but it is really embarrassing so you cannot tell anyone, ok?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever. So," Emily made a grab for Casey's notebook, "who is it? Oh, I bet it is Noel, isn't it? You don't have to worry about him though; he is already totally in to you."

Casey was still holding the notebook out of her friend's reach. "Yep, it is Noel. You are probably right, I don't need to bother with any of this."

"Come on, you are really a pathetic liar. So who do you like? Max? Sam? No, those are ancient history…" Emily began naming guys in their grade, trying to gage Casey's reaction. "…Scott Westfield? Roger Clements? Andrew Samuels? Derek!"

Casey jumped and looked at her friend startled, but Emily wasn't paying attention. Instead she was looking past her and grinning giddily. Casey turned around in relief to see her aforementioned stepbrother entering the classroom.

"Hey, Derek, what's up?" Emily asked him.

"Oh, hey Emily, hey loser," he said, coming up to them and taking the seat behind Casey. She whirled around, suspicious.

"Derek, don't sit behind me if you are planning on annoying me the entire class," she said testily, heart pounding from her earlier scare and from his mere presence. She really wanted to be able to concentrate in this class.

He just smiled his most endearing smile and patted her on the head condescendingly causing her to snarl. He just laughed and turned to Emily.

"So what were you two talking about?" he asked.

"Well I was just trying out who Casey"

"EM! Derek really doesn't need to hear about this!" she said, cutting her off.

"Oh, come on sis, secrets don't make friends!"

"Yes, but friends make secrets and you are not my friend," she said testily and then added, "And don't call me sis, it is creepy."

"Creepy? Whatever you say, _step-_sis," he smirked.

Just then the bell rang and Casey turned around to face forward. Not long into the class she felt a sharp jabbing in the middle of her back. She tried to ignore it for as long as possible but it was so annoying. Finally she hissed at Derek to stop but he just kept poking her with his pencil so she was forced to turn around.

"Derek, stop it!" she whispered but the teacher cleared his throat in her direction and she was forced to face forward.

The poking ceased for a while and Casey relaxed, but then Derek began tracing lines up and down her spine with his pencil giving her chills. She attempted to shrug it off for a long time but it was making her horrendously uncomfortable, especially because it was not an entirely unpleasant sensation.

"Der-EK! Stop!" she didn't mean to say it so loud but the entire class fell silent and looked at her.

Her cheeks colored and she slumped down in her desk trying to avoid the teacher's attention. But it was too late; he was already glaring in her direction.

"Casey, is there a problem?" he asked shrewdly.

"No." she squeaked and Derek snickered.

"How about you Mr. Venturi? You usually have something to say," he said.

"Actually I do have a problem, Casey is making it very hard for me to concentrate with her incessant whispering," he said innocently.

"Derek, that is not true and you know it, I was only trying to get you to stop poking me!" she shot back, forgetting again that they were in the middle of class.

"Alright, that is enough; you two can figure this out in detention today after school!"

"But Mr. Denny, I…" Casey began but he cut her off.

"Don't argue with me Miss McDonald or you can leave my class," he said sternly and she snapped her mouth shut and shrunk down even further in her chair and remained that way for the rest of the class.

After class was over Casey stormed out into the hall with mixed emotions. She was furious at Derek for getting her detention again but was secretly thrilled that he had been paying her so much attention. Oh god, what was wrong with her?

At lunch she was still tied up in her thoughts, but no one noticed since she was notorious spacey anyway. She had added more to her research during her second period class and was surprised to find that the teasing from Derek was actually on the positive side, she found that she really enjoyed their arguments. However his affinity for trouble was on the negative end (unless she chose to be really honest with herself and admit that she liked that sort of thing).

What was bothering her most was that the negative was outweighing the positive at least theoretically. However even though Derek was logically completely wrong for her she still found that her heart beat harder as he walked into the cafeteria and her breath caught as he passed by her. She was beginning to wonder if she was completely shallow, but figured she must simply be missing something.

Making sure that Emily was otherwise distracted she covertly took out her notebook and reread her research. What was she missing? Then she reread her negative column. _We are polar opposites_, she thought on that one for a while and then relented and moved it to the positives. Who wants someone who is exactly like them anyway? _He is an arrogant jerk_, well, that was only half true as he had proved that he wasn't a jerk many times. Besides, she liked having someone who challenged her.

She sighed and kept reading, until she had moved almost all of the negatives to the positive side and finally realized what she had been missing. She had been so convinced that Derek was completely wrong for her that she had refuse to acknowledge what was right in front of her: he was actually perfect.

Just as she thought this the truth of it seemed to crush her. He was absolutely perfect for her. She also realized that this was not a simple crush, Casey was really in lo…no, she couldn't admit that yet, not even in her own head. She didn't know what to do, getting over her feelings now seemed impossible.

As she was thinking all of this she got her notebook and furiously wrote two things in the negative column. _Sally _was the first one and the second one she wrote in big bold letters: **MY STEPBROTHER. **That was it, there was nothing in the world that could outweigh those, she thought sadly putting it back in her bag. What had she been thinking, she never stood a chance with Derek. She knew him, better than anyone, and she knew that he would never have feelings for her.

Casey and Derek served their detention that afternoon. Determined to ignore him Casey took a seat on the opposite side of the room, but it made only a little difference since they were the only two people there. He must have been bored because he kept trying to get her attention but she resolutely ignored him.

He finally started throwing things at her but she would not give in and using all her self control she didn't even glance his way. She was surprised to hear him utter a frustrated sound when she would not pay attention to his antics. She was even more surprised when she finally glanced over and found him sulking him his chin on his desk. He spent the rest of the detention moping.

When it was over they left the building in silence and made their way to the car. But when they reached it he didn't unlock the door and she turned to face him in a huff but said nothing.

"What, so you are never going to talk to me again? Come on, I was just bored in class, I wasn't trying to get you detention," he said apologetically.

She couldn't help it; she warmed to the sincere look in his eyes. "Is that an apology?"

He looked pained. "Ah, come on, don't make me admit it, just accept it, k?"

"Ok," she said and they both got in the car.

Casey was caught off guard as always by Derek's softer side. Perhaps this was why she didn't notice that her backpack had come unzipped, or that when she threw it into the passenger seat a small pink notebook the contents of which were utterly private fell out. They arrived at home and Casey went into the house without noticing that the notebook was gone. There it lay under the seat of Derek's prized car the Prince with nothing to do but wait for its secrets to be discovered.

**A/N: Uh-Oh…She should have known not to write anything down hehe. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it took me awhile to write so please REVIEW! I am thinking there will only be two more chapters or so unless those rabid plot bunnies take over again. Also, my story summary is not very good so if you have any suggestions that would be great. Thanks! **


	5. Chapter 5: Complications

**A/N: Things are about to get really interesting…hehe. Anyway, please read and REVIEW, reviews make the world go round!**

Chapter 5: Complications

She had dropped her lip-gloss, which was why she was looking under the seat. Otherwise she never would have spotted it and things would probably have turned out much differently. Derek had already gone in the house, ever impatient as he was and she was about to follow and ask him who this belonged to, but her curiosity got the better of her and she flipped open the cover of the pink notebook. Just to see whose it was, she reasoned.

A frown creased her brow as she read the meticulous notes. The description was so familiar…too familiar. She got to the last column and it was confirmed. She knew because under the negatives column her name was written. And she knew who it belonged to. She wouldn't have believed it if someone had told her. But she couldn't ignore the words written under her name as they were so bold and startling: **MY STEPBROTHER. **

Sally sat in the car for a while longer, holding the notebook loosely in shock. She was startled by the sound of the door to the house opening and she stashed the notebook in her purse just as her boyfriend approached the car door and rapped on the window.

"Sally, you ever coming in?" Derek asked.

She smiled weakly and held up her lip gloss as she got out of the car.

"Yep, found it, no problems here," she said nervously.

They walked into the house together, Sally still in shock and Derek not paying attention enough to notice. When they reached the living room Casey was sitting on the couch watching television.

"Hey Sally!" she said enthusiastically, then added coldly, "Derek."

Derek jumped over the back of the couch and sat next to his stepsister.

"Aw, still mad at me Case? I thought we had settled that little tiff," he said and she turned to look at him angrily.

"We had, until I got home and my mom grounded me for getting detention again, even though I said it wasn't my fault. She said she is tired of our fighting getting in the way of my performance at school. So thanks to your juvenile tendencies I had to cancel my date with Noel tonight. Plus, your dad is such a push over you probably won't even get punished!" she ranted.

"Is that all? Hmm…I can get myself grounded if it will make you feel better although actually you will probably prefer not having me around," he said thoughtfully.

There it was, all the proof Sally needed. Casey hesitated. And in that moment Sally knew that all Casey wanted _was_ to have Derek around and the thought made her sad. She really liked Casey and she had recently seen her heart broken by Max and didn't want it to happen again. After all she could certainly see where she was coming from, since she was the one dating Derek. Sally wondered why she had never seen it before, noticed the real reason why it was torture for Casey to have to live with Derek.

But there was no reason for anyone to suspect it. Even Casey herself had missed it for a long time. Sally also knew that Derek would never feel the same way about Casey. She was not a vain person; she just didn't feel threatened at all by her boyfriend's stepsister. Why would she, after all.

Lost in her thoughts Sally had missed whatever insensitive thing Derek had said but whatever it was it caused Casey to storm up the stairs to her bedroom. She had half a mind to follow her, comfort her or at least return her notebook but she knew that she would be embarrassed if she knew Sally had discovered her crush. She decided that she would just let Casey get over it in her own time, maybe this Noel guy could get her mind off Derek.

"Derek," she said sweetly as she sat down next to him, "do you know what would be a really sweet thing for you to do?"

He groaned. "I am sure you are going to tell me, aren't you?"

"Well, I was just thinking, since it really was your fault that Casey got grounded"

"Hey! I already apologized for that whole thing…well, as much as I ever apologize." He cut her off defensively.

"I am sure you did, I was just thinking it would be nice if you talked to Nora about it, maybe get her ungrounded so she can still go on her date tonight," Sally said pleadingly.

"Why do you care? The guy is a total loser anyway…" Derek said.

"_Please_ Derek?" Sally said and moved closer to Derek. "It would be such a sweet thing to do…" she pressed her lips to his and knew that he didn't stand a chance.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do," he said, pushing her away as Lizzie came down the stairs and walked past them into the kitchen. Sally looked put out.

"You are so weird about PDA, you know," she said irritably.

"I don't think there is anything weird about not wanting my little step-sis to see me making out with my girlfriend," he replied defensively.

"Whatever," she said and then looked at the clock, "You had better go talk to Nora now if you want Casey to make her date."

He groaned. "Do I have to? I hate doing the right thing!"

When she just glared he got up and went in the other room to find his stepmother.

Meanwhile, Casey hadn't even gotten the chance to call Noel yet to cancel. She was far too busy having a panic attack. She knew it was in her bag when she left school, but now her notebook was gone. Cursing herself for ignoring her instincts and writing it all down, she frantically tore through her backpack for a third time but it was still gone.

She was about to sneak into the garage to see if she had left it in the Prince when there was a knock at her door. Annoyed and already frenzied she threw the door open much too hard to reveal her startled mother.

"Sorry mom, I am just freaked out because I think I lost…something," she said by way of apology.

"Need help looking?" Nora asked kindly.

"No, that's ok. So what's up?" she asked

"Well, I was just talking to Derek and he helped me realize that maybe I was a little too hard on you earlier," she said regretfully.

"It is ok mom; it can't be easy living with me and Derek all the time. I need to learn to ignore him," she said with a sigh.

"True, but I didn't want to make you miss your date tonight. How about we compromise, why don't you invite Noel to dinner here with the family?" she suggested.

Casey tried to hide her disgust. "Mom, it is our second date, I really don't think it is the time to expose him to our family," she said.

"Come on Case, it will be fun!" she said. Seeing the excitement and hope in her mother's face, Casey felt she had no choice.

"Um…ok, why not? But please, I don't want a repeat of Max. Can we try to be at least a little normal?" she pleaded.

"It will be totally different than that. Well, except that Sally will be here again. It will be like a cute double date for you and Derek!" she said excitedly.

Oh great, thought Casey. Not only did she have to bring her date to her house, she now had to try and focus on him while Sally spent the whole dinner making lovey eyes at her…._stepbrother_, she told herself firmly. That is all Derek was to her. Her mother left to go make dinner and she reluctantly called Noel to inform him of the change in plans. He was, of course, very enthusiastic about the idea of meeting her family. God, he was worse than her mother, she thought.

If the dinner table was usually crowded with all three McDonalds and four Venturis the addition of two dates made it a mad house. The seating arrangements worked out so that Casey was sitting next to Noel but across from Derek, making it very hard for her not to look at him. More embarrassing was the fact that though the conversation was centered on her date she had a hard time concentrating on what anyone was saying.

"So, Noel, do you do any sports?" George was asking.

"No, I am more the artsy type, you know. Which is good I guess, since that is how I met this great girl, right Casey?" he replied, nudging her with his elbow.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, whatever," she said in disinterest.

"So, you and Noel must have a lot in common then, right Case?" Sally asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess we do," she replied.

"You know, that is just great. I have always found that similar interests are a much better basis for a relationship than being totally opposite, don't you think?" Sally hinted.

"It can get boring though. Who wants someone exactly like them?" It was not Casey who said this however, but Derek.

"I agree with Derek, Nora and I could not be more different and we are just great together," George said unwittingly.

"Yes, George, but in the case of Noel and Casey I think it is good that they have things in common, don't you?" Nora said warningly.

"Oh! Oh, yeah, definitely. So…um…" George tried to change the subject but drew a blank.

"Don't you think Noel is kind of a weird name?" Marti asked innocently and Derek laughed.

"Marti, that is not polite. I am sorry about that Noel," Nora said.

"Hey, Smarti is just being honest, it isn't right to censor her," Derek said with a laugh.

"Derek, don't encourage your little sister to be rude," Casey said.

"I am just encouraging her to be herself," Derek said.

"No, you are encouraging her to be you and we really don't need another egotistical slacker jerk in this house," Casey shot back.

"What, would you rather she was some ultra-keener psychotic neat freak?" he said angrily.

"At least then she may have a shot at achieving something, or do you want her to be a D-student nothing like you?"

"I am a C student now, thank you very much, and maybe if you knew how to be average you wouldn't be such a freak!"

"Freak! Who is the one who gives himself a pep talk in the mirror every morning?"

"Please, you are just jealous of my"

"Casey! Derek! Now just stop it, you are both being very rude to your guests," Nora scolded.

They both looked startled, as if they had forgotten that there were others in the room. Neither had notice that in the course of the fight they had stood up and were bracing themselves on the table, leaning over towards each other. Both sat down but were still fuming and glaring daggers at each other and continued to do so for the remainder of the meal, thoroughly ignoring their respective companions.

After dinner was over George made Casey and Derek do the dishes by hand as punishment while the family took Noel and Sally into the living room to entertain. Neither was very thrilled about leaving their respective partners alone with the family but they were on thin ice enough already so they didn't argue.

Derek, of course, took drying leaving Casey with the labor intensive washing. They worked in silence for awhile until Derek threw down his towel annoyed and turned to her.

"Just so you know I only talk to myself in the mirror before a big game, it is not a daily thing," he said defensively and she laughed.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say Der." She looked at him seriously. "Do you really think I am a freak?" she asked worriedly.

"Well…" he pondered for a moment, smirking and then picking up some soap suds from the sink and putting them on the end of her nose, "you do have bubbles on your nose, which is a little freaky."

She smiled devilishly. "Oh, you're one to talk. You have suds all over your hair."

She picked up a handful of bubbles and dropped them on the top of his head and they both laughed. He used his towel to wipe them off of his head and then after a pause wiped the bubbles off her nose for her, causing her to blush.

Sally had been on her way into the kitchen to offer her help when she witnessed this exchange. For the first time she felt a cold stab of jealousy. As she watched Derek and Casey's playful actions she couldn't help but notice the chemistry. She thought about the notebook that was still in her possession and contemplated her next move.

**A/N: Hope you liked it, I was a little nervous about switching to Sally's POV for parts of this chapter but I couldn't think of another way to do it so I hope it didn't ruin the feel of the story. Also, there is no way that I can wrap this up in only one more chapter so forget what I said before, I will just have to let this plot run off with itself like it wants to hehe. Please, please REVIEW and thanks for reading! **


	6. Chapter 6: Contemplations

**A/N: I stressed over this chapter because I had two ways I was thinking of doing it but I am happy with what I went with so I hope you are too! Thanks to katmac1 for the suggestions that helped inspire parts of this chapter. As always I own nothing (except the story) and I will be eternally happy if you REVIEW!! Thanks!**

Chapter 6: Contemplations 

By the next night Casey was completely ungrounded but still hadn't found her notebook. She was upset when it wasn't in Derek's car, thinking she must have dropped it in the school parking lot. However, she reasoned that this wouldn't be so bad since it didn't have her name in it and therefore there was little that could definitively tie her to the notes.

She thought a lot about Noel over the next day. Finally realizing that it wasn't right to string him along when she was harboring feelings for another guy, she now just had to figure out how to break up with him. True, it had only been two dates, but Noel already seemed so attached to her and she didn't have much experience with breaking up with anyone (other than the multiple times with Sam.)

It didn't feel right to do it over the phone, so she called him up and had him meet her in the local park. When she got there however her plans went out the window. He had brought her flowers again, pink this time. He looked so happy to see her, always looked at her like she was the only girl in the world. As she approached him she realized that Derek would never look at her that way, and the thought stung her.

Maybe in time she could feel the same way about Noel that she felt about Derek. After all he was so sweet and cared about her a lot. She would give it a little more time she reasoned, and if she still didn't feel differently she would break it off before he got any more attached.

The two had an amazing day together and Casey found that if she stopped comparing him to Derek, Noel was really a great guy. It was then that Casey decided to try as hard as she could to make it work with Noel and forget her crazy infatuation with her stepbrother.

Two weeks later everything seemed to be going according to plan. Casey through herself into her relationship with Noel and did her best to avoid Derek. Things were far from perfect but she found that she could now keep him out of her mind for as long as five minutes, which was an improvement at least. As for Sally she had witnessed the change in Casey and laughed at her own foolishness, she should have known that Casey would get over her crush on her own. However she still had the pink notebook at home on her desk, just in case, although she still didn't know what she would do with it.

In fact the only one who didn't seem happy was Derek. At first he enjoyed making fun of Noel and even liked Casey being out of the house more. But by now he was ready to gag from watching them around the house being all lovey and was sick and tired of hearing what a great guy Noel was from the rest of his family. He also felt like him and Sally were in constant competition of the 'new couple.'

Which is why Derek was dreading tonight. It had been Casey's idea, to recreate her and Noel's second date for their (insert Derek gagging) two-week-aversary. So that night Sally and Noel would again be joining the family for dinner, but this time everyone would be on their best behavior. Yeah right, Derek thought as he descended the stairs to what would certainly be a very unbearable night.

Casey was still up in her room getting ready when she heard Derek's bedroom door open and shut. She now knew she had to hurry, she would hate for Derek to be the one to greet Noel when he got there seeing as how he had recently been so mean to him. At the surface of her mind she was almost able to wonder how she ever had feelings for such a jerk, but whenever she tried to think such thoughts the rest of her mind forcibly reminded her that those feelings had not yet gone away.

She heard the front door open and ran down the stairs but it was only Sally. She greeted her but then went in the kitchen to see if her mother needed help. Before long Noel had arrived and the McDonald/Venturi dinner table was again filled past capacity.

"So, two weeks, that is quite the milestone!" Nora said and Derek snorted in disbelief.

Casey glared at her stepbrother before responding. "I know, and it has been the best two weeks ever, hasn't it hon?" she said turning to her boyfriend with an expression that made Derek frown.

"Definitely the best. Oh, that reminds me," he said and pulled a box out of his pocket, "I got you a little present."

Casey squealed with delight and opened the box, revealing a gold bracelet with purple stones on it. It was not really her taste, but nice all the same.

"Do you like it? The stones are amethyst, I got it because it is your birthstone," Noel said excitedly.

"Thank you Noel, it is really pretty," she said, letting slide a fact that Derek had to point out.

"Yeah, real pretty, too bad it is not her birthstone, Casey's is sapphire. I remember because it is the same color as her eyes," Derek said, realizing too late how strange it was for him to notice (and comment) on something like that.

An awkward silence descended following Derek's angry outburst as everyone at the table looked at Derek strangely. Except for Sally, she was glaring at Casey while she looked questioningly at Derek, and Noel, who didn't seem to notice the strange part of what Derek said and was only looking worriedly at the bracelet. It was he who broke the silence.

"Oh, jeez, I am so sorry Casey; I guess I got it wrong again, just like with the flowers. Maybe I should run my gifts by Derek first, he seems to know more about you," Noel's joke fell flat since it rang true.

Everyone was very uncomfortable throughout the rest of the dinner, except for Noel once Casey assured him that the present was to her liking. Actually she was starting to wonder if he was a little dense seeing as how he couldn't pick up the basic vibe of the room.

After dinner the incident had past and the mood was mostly back to normal, although Sally was much tenser than she had been for awhile but she tried to hide it. The family was watching a movie they had rented but Derek was much too distracted by Casey and Noel. They were practically sitting in the same seat on the couch, and when Casey put her head on Noel's shoulder Derek accidently uttered a barely audible growl of annoyance that did not escape Sally's notice.

After the movie Casey and Noel went up to her bedroom and Derek finally had enough.

"What does she think she is doing taking him up to her room, which is not allowed in this house!" he said.

"You're parents don't seem to mind, and plus I am in your room all the time," Sally snapped, annoyed, and Derek finally picked up on her attitude.

"Sorry Sal, I haven't really been feeling like myself tonight. Do you want to come up and hang, I can think of a few ways to make it up to you," he said suggestively.

"No, that's ok Derek, I should be getting home," she said and he walked her to the front door. Just as she was going to leave she stopped but didn't turn around. "Just out of curiosity Derek, what color are my eyes?"

Derek thought for a moment too long before answering. "Your eyes are brown."

Sally closed her green eyes in sadness and walked out the door.

* * *

Meanwhile Casey and Noel were upstairs in her room, but they were not doing what Derek thought. In fact, they were having a rather one-sided conversation. Noel was doing all the talking while Casey sat at her desk lost in thought. Noel either didn't notice or didn't mind that she wasn't listening; he definitely wasn't the most observant guy in the world.

The two sides of Casey's mind were again at war, the rational side and what she had come to refer to as the Derek side. The rational side was still arguing that she was imagining Derek's jealously while the Derek side kept replaying the memory of him saying her eyes looked like sapphires. (A little clichéd, but nice, she decided.) Still, the rational part of her one out as always and she realized that Derek was just being himself by being a jerk.

The problem was that now she was thinking too rationally. She realized that since she was using her relationship with Noel as a way of getting over Derek she had been ignoring many of the problems in their relationship. And now that she thought about it, Derek or not Noel was just not the guy for her. She figured it was time that she talked to him.

"Noel," she said, sitting next to him on the bed, "I think we should talk seriously."

"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good," he smiled and she smiled back warily.

"I was just wondering what is it that you like about me?"

"What's not to like?" he replied innocently.

"See, you always say something like that. I mean, specifically, why do you like me?"

"Well, you are beautiful and smart and nice to be around."

"That is nice, but why don't we be honest; we don't really know each other. Is it possible that you don't like me so much as you like the person you imagine me to be? I mean, you say you liked me since the play but we were mostly being characters then. Maybe you have kind of put me up on a pedestal."

He thought about that for a moment and looked lost until he realized what she was saying was probably true.

"Only you would find such a rational way to break up with me," he laughed. "But you know, I think you are right. I got such a crush on you during the play that I spent forever afterwards thinking about my idea of you. But I mean, even Derek knows you better than I do. It's been nice though Casey."

"Yeah, it really has. Honestly, you are the sweetest guy I have ever dated and I am sure you will find the girl who is right for you. It just…"

"Isn't you," he finished for her with a small smile.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked him out. As he was leaving her turned and called back to her.

"Oh, and Casey? Don't worry, he'll realize he is right for you too," he said.

"Who?" she called back and he turned again and smirked in a knowing way.

"Goodbye, Casey." And without another word he got in his car and drove away.

Perhaps Noel was not as unobservant as he seemed.

**A/N: Sorry for not going back to Sally at the end of this chapter, I had planned on giving more of her perspective but this seemed like a good endpoint so I saved that for the next chapter. Oh well, something to look forward to. Hopefully the breakup with Noel seemed realistic; I always thought his crush on her was more based on his idea of her since they spent barely any time together. Also, don't lose faith; Dasey sweetness awaits those who reach the end of the story! Anyway, hope you liked it, Please REVIEW!!**


	7. Chapter 7: Temptations

**A/N: Sorry about the wait, but if you read the Twilight series you understand that I was busy for a few days lol. Here is some of the Dasey I have been promising and more is definitely coming up! So enjoy, and please REVIEW!! Sally's POV at the very start, then mostly Derek's. Again, I love reviews!! I do not own Life with Derek, Moulin Rouge, or anything else that you think sounds familiar. **

Chapter 7: Temptations 

As Sally drove home that night she made up her mind. She was not usually an overly emotional person and preferred to just get things over with so she could move on. Dwelling on problems didn't make them go away. But with this one something was holding her back, stopping her from doing what she knew she was stupid not to.

But she had realized tonight what Derek had yet to realize for himself and she knew she would be a fool to continue in the relationship. But she couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was still a chance it would work out. Thinking back to Casey's list she thought that even if she eliminated herself from the equation they were still step-siblings. And after all, she hadn't really given Derek a chance to explain himself.

So Sally, as pragmatic as always, had a plan formulated by the time she pulled into her driveway. As she always said, there was no reason to drag these things out so she decided to talk to Derek the next day. Then either way, things would be decided and she would be able to get on with her life, with or without Derek.

* * *

Derek had no idea what Sally wanted to talk to him about. As far as he could tell he had done nothing wrong for once, but she had been acting weird for weeks. After her abrupt departure Friday night he felt the argument coming even if he couldn't pinpoint the cause. He hadn't even planned on answering the phone when she called but Casey refused to cover for him and practically forced the receiver into his hand.

He mentally growled at the thought of his keener stepsister. She really was unbearable, especially when she brought her ever more unbearable dates home. He smiled, remembering that at least one good thing had happened last night: Casey had finally cut artsy boy loose. He was seriously the worst one yet, he thought.

Although it had been annoying when she was all over his best friend. And don't even get him started on Max, despite what he may have said that guy was a hockey bashing jerk. Ok, he admitted to himself, so he always hated when she dated. It was just so…annoying was not quite the word, to have her flouncing around with some guy. He reasoned that this was because everything she did annoyed him.

But that was hardly true anymore. As disgusted as he was to admit it there were things about Casey that he had come to like. And her incessant morality and keener behaviors were more bearable and had even started to rub off on him (though he would never admit it.) The arguments they had became less harsh and more playful as time wore on.

Still, though, she was Casey and he was Derek, enough said. They would never see eye to eye, no matter how much progress they made. Not to mention the fact that while he now thought of Lizzie as his little sister (if not as much as Smarti) if anything Casey felt less like family as time wore on. He didn't think he was alone in his attitude as she was almost as quick as he was to correct anyone who referred to them as siblings. He mused that even though he could now stand Casey and even felt slightly protective of her at times he knew that he would never think of her as his sister.

He thought all of this as he walked up the stairs to his room, and as he stopped for a minute outside Casey's door as he thought about her. Then as if coming to his senses he shook his head to clear it and walked into his own room. Shutting the door with a slam he realized that, like always, he was hungry. Sighing he wished that he hadn't been too lost in thought to notice this before he walked up the stairs.

"EDWIN! Food, now!" he yelled through the wall and received no response which was rather unusual. "ED-WIN!" he yelled again but stopped when he realized he sounded strangely similar to Casey when she yelled at him.

And speak of the clumsy devil; she was the one who answered his call with a scowl that he would have returned had he been less surprised.

"Jeez, Derek, stop yelling through the house. Besides, Edwin isn't even here; he and Liz had a birthday parties today," she said, rolling her eyes. "I heard him tell you that before you left today. Where have you been all day by the way, with Sally? Mom and George tried to wait for you to get back but finally they had to leave. Said to tell you goodbye," she said.

Derek was utterly puzzled. "What I do is my own business…and no, I am not going out with Sally until tomorrow. By the way, where did my dad and Nora go?"

Casey rolled her eyes again. "Are you so self obsessed that you don't even listen when other people talk?"

He stared blankly back, not answering and she sighed.

"I'll take that as a yes. Mom and George had to go out of town for the weekend to visit my great aunt and mercifully left us home," she said slowly as if talking to a child.

A vague recollection stirred in his mind. "Oh yeah, that's right. They told us that at dinner last night. I hope you know that I refuse to babysit no matter how much I like Smarti." He said defensively and Casey looked exasperated.

"Ok, now you seriously can't be so dense as to not remember that Marti is visiting your mom this weekend. I mean, you were here when your mom picked her up this morning!"

Derek really had to wrack his brain this time. This morning… He remembered waking up late as usual, his forced conversation with Sally, fighting with Casey. He did remember the doorbell at some point but that memory was overshadowed by the one of him wrestling with Casey over the last of the cereal. He remembered thinking how it was weird that she hadn't even showered but still smelled like fruit. Or flowers. Or something sweet and girly that was not at all unpleasant.

Finally he remembered watching Casey hug Marti; he guessed that was when she was leaving. And then…oh yeah, he did recall hugging Marti goodbye himself because he could clearly picture the way Casey's eyes had softened as she watched him actually be nice to someone.

"Huh, as much I hate to say it, you're right. I don't know why I spaced so much today." Then he sent her a mock frightened look. "Oh my gosh Spacey, you're not contagious are you?"

He began dancing around her in teasing horror shouting 'unclean' and making a cross with his fingers.

"Derek, stop it!" she said, but she sounded more amused than annoyed. "Seriously though, what is up with you lately? Half the time I would almost think that you were lost in thought, if I didn't know that your mind was empty."

He stopped mocking her and glared playfully. "Oh, you would be surprised what goes on in my mind," he said with a smirk.

Her eyes snapped up with a strange look in them and he thought about how suggestively he had said it and almost blushed. But instead he decided to make her blush, since she was so easy to embarrass. He took a step closer to her and she reflexively leaned away but didn't move her feet. He looked at her carnivorously for a moment until he could imagine her cheeks actually catching fire for how much she was blushing.

"Like now, for instance," he said huskily, "you really don't know what I am thinking right. At. This. Very. _Moment." _He said the last word as a mere whisper and she unconsciously leaned forward to hear him.

He was about to say something snarky that would embarrass her even more and probably send her running from the room when he realized that _he_ was getting a little uncomfortable. She was biting her lip a little and he found it utterly distracting and unnerving. He knew that the moment was lasting too long, that at some point the teasing had stopped and now he was just standing awkwardly close to his stepsister in his bedroom, both of them leaning in to each other.

And yet he was still standing there. Still looking at her with that strange look that neither of them could identify. Derek took a shaky breath to try and steady himself and realized that he, Derek Venturi, should never be unsteady in the first place. This thought was obscured only a little by the flowery scent that had filled his lungs when he breathed in. Still it was enough to pull him from his reverie.

He abruptly turned around and strode to the other side of the room too quickly to look natural. He walked over to his desk and started fiddling around with whatever was sitting on it, trying to look busy. Finally he turned back around when he could feel that Casey hadn't left yet.

"What?" he said tensely. "Do you want something?"

Her eyes grew a little wide and she took a moment to answer. "Um…I am going to…pick something up for dinner. What do you want?"

It was his turn to pause. What did he want? He knew she was talking about food and yet the question seemed appropriate in other ways.

"Pizza?" he questioned softly, not really feeling hungry anymore.

She just nodded and all but flew from the room and didn't stop running until she was out the front door.

Derek was left alone in the whole house, which suited him just fine at the moment. He really needed to be alone with his thoughts…which he had to admit was a bit of a first for him. Not counting earlier that day. After talking to Sally and all that arguing with Casey he had felt a bit…off, so he went out to get some air and ended up wandering around for hours thinking. It surprised even him that he should be walking around lost in thought like some…Casey.

Still, he was trying to figure out exactly why he had been so distractible for awhile now. Lying back on his bed as he was after Casey left he had no more answers for himself than he had earlier that day. Something was gnawing at the back of his mind but no matter how much he tried to see what is was it just wouldn't come forward.

Feeling utterly fed up with himself he leapt off of his bed and stalked down the stairs. He was Derek Venturi, he reminded himself again, and Derek Venturi was not the type of man to sit around and _think_. Swaggering down the stairs he jumped over the back of the couch and turned on some loud sporting event, successfully drowning out his own obscure worries or whatever that feeling of unease was.

By the time he heard the sound of Casey returning home Derek felt just like his old self, all but forgetting the earlier moment of…strangeness he would call it. All he felt now was extreme hunger which is why he pounced on the pizza before Casey could even get in the door. He was on the couch eating his first piece before she had even hung up her coat.

"Der-ek, you could have waited like a second for me to get in the door," she said, apparently also back to her old self.

"Brph-mrap-shtlos," his reply was utterly unintelligibly due to the fact that he had just shoved more than half a piece of pizza in his mouth.

"Ugh, you are so disgusting," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"You are just jealous of my refinement," he said after swallowing.

"Ha!" she said and walked from the room.

"What are you doing? Pizza is this way," he said and she walked back in the room holding a plate and a fork.

"Unlike some people around here I prefer to act like a civilized person," she said scowling as she came and sat next to him.

He tried to ignore the way her arm brushed against his as she reached for a slice of pizza but ended up having to shift away from her. He had to clear his throat before he could speak again.

"I am going to create a society where eating pizza with a fork is illegal and then I can throw you in jail for the atrocities you are committing at this moment," he said.

She looked at him strangely. "Where did Derek learn all those big words? Would you like some ice for your brain, I know that must have taken a lot out of you."

"For your information I am a complete and total genius," he said smirking.

"Oh yeah, that explains your stellar marks on our last test. You know, I wasn't aware that F- was a possible grade," she said mockingly.

"Hey, I got a better grade than you on that math test," he reminded her and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh please that was one test and that was only after you got caught cheating twice and were forced to actually study for once," she said.

He ignored her and turned his attention back to the roaring hockey game on the television just in time to see it flicker away and turn into some sitcom. He jerked his head around to look at Casey who was holding the remote in an authoritative way. He reached for it and soon they were wrestling on the couch, both holding tightly to the remote.

"Derek, just let me watch one show," Casey said, struggling.

"I was watching the game," he said, pulling harder on the remote but it didn't budge from her firm grasp.

"You are always watching the game! Just give. It. To. Me!" She said, almost pulling the control from his hand and he jerked back way too hard, the momentum causing him to fall off the couch onto the floor pulling her with him.

It took just a split second for Casey to realize that she had landed in a very compromising position on top of Derek and she jumped up and tried to back away from the room. But being Casey she managed to knock into the coffee table and go flying through the air, landing on her back with a thud. Derek leapt to his feet and rushed over to her.

"Oh my gosh Casey, are you okay?" he said as she tried to sit up, wincing.

"Yeah, I think I am fine. Ow." She added, rubbing the back of her head.

"Jeez, Casey, you don't have to kill yourself, you can watch your stupid show," he said trying to lighten the mood. He was shaken by her fall; he thought he may have actually been worried about her.

"Nah, it's ok, you can watch your game. I'm sorry for trying to change it," she said, getting to her feet and wobbling a bit.

Derek caught hold of her elbow to steady her. "What is wrong with you, even when you get your way you have to be such a goody goody?"

She shrugged slightly and smiled ruefully. "It's just the way I am," she said.

He led her over to the couch, still holding her steady even though she didn't really need him too. "How about we compromise and watch a movie?" he said.

She looked at him doubtfully. "You think we can agree on a movie any more than a TV show?"

He glanced around the house conspiringly as if to make sure they were alone. "Ok, you cannot tell anyone, but you know that movie that you completely love and watch like once a week?"

"Moulin Rouge? I love that movie, it is so romantic! But you despise musicals; you refuse to even watch one." She said.

"Right, well, I may have been a little bored a while back and it was the only movie down here…do you want to watch it or not?" he said uncomfortably.

"Wait one second," she said, turning to look him straight in the eyes, "Are you saying that you actually like Moulin Rouge?"

"Well, the songs are actually kind of cool, and come on, Nicole Kidman is pretty hot in it," he said defensively and she just smirked.

"Ok, whatever you say, I won't tell anyone that the great and manly Derek likes _musicals_," she said the word like a curse and he winced but got up and put in the DVD anyway.

The two watched the movie in enraptured silence. A couple of times Casey started to sing along and Derek glared at her, but when they got to the show-stopping number at the end she caught him humming the tune and she smiled. As they reached the end of the movie Derek was annoyed to feel the prickling sensation in his eyes just like the last time he had watched it. Casey looked over at him and laughed out loud.

"Oh my gosh, are you tearing up?" she asked.

"No! Never. Now shush you are talking through the end, these are Satine's final moments of life and you are being disrespectful," he said seriously, turning his attention back to the screen. Casey tried to stifle the laughter that bubbled up after seeing how much he was into the movie.

After the movie was over Derek was a little embarrassed to admit to himself that it was probably his favorite movie too. It was getting pretty late so they both went to get ready for bed. They brushed their teeth together and then went off to their separate rooms to get their pajama's on.

Derek was startled when Casey came in midway through his dressing. He was wearing nothing but his boxers and for once he felt a blush creep onto his cheeks.

"Night Derek!" she said, smiling and seeming unaffected by both his state of half-dress and embarrassment. Of course Derek couldn't hear her heart pounding as she quickly left for her own room. Derek pulled on a t-shirt and lay on his bed, again entirely unsure of what was going on in his own mind.

**A/N: I know, I keep pushing back the confrontation with Sally but this chapter took on a mind of its own and just kept getting longer. But I think all the Dasey certainly made up for what I didn't put in this chapter! I promise to update soon, thanks for everyone who is sticking with this story, I am thinking the end is coming up. Thanks for reading, please REVIEW!!**


	8. Chapter 8: Explanations

**A/N: Second-to-last chapter, Sally finally gets a chance to speak with Derek. I wanted to get this out before I went out of town for a couple days, but I will try my hardest not to keep you waiting for my climactic ending! I do not own Life with Derek. Please REVIEW!!**

Chapter 8: Explanations

Derek was feeling rather strange as he went to meet Sally at her house Sunday at noon. He knew he was headed for a fight or worse, a discussion about feelings. After his more than pleasant evening with Casey he was confused about many things. All he knew for sure was that whenever a girl invited you over in the middle of the day to "talk" it was not going to be a good day.

He sighed as he drove up to her house, knowing there was no way out of it now. As he walked up the driveway he again thought of last night. Derek couldn't remember the last time he had such a pleasant evening and the thought was strange since he spent most nights with Sally (not in that way, he thought ruefully.)

Sally opened the front door before he even had the chance to knock, catching him by surprise. He tried to rearrange his expression into one that would look happy to see her but by the look on her face he didn't pull it off well. She simply stepped aside to admit him and led him to her living room in a businesslike manner.

"So beautiful, what's up?" he said with his most charming smirk but Sally didn't pay any attention.

Sally held up a small pink notebook that Derek thought looked vaguely familiar. She held it up rather like an accusation, but her expression was slightly sad.

"Do you know what this is?" she asked.

"Um, looks like some girl's notebook. Whose is it?" he asked nonchalantly, not getting the point.

Sally sighed and sat down wearily next to Derek.

"Ok, so I have thought a lot about this and while at first I thought it was none of my business after the other night I realized that there is more going on than I thought. I am not one to plot or play games and I am not going to try and fight anyone to keep you if you don't want me, so I thought I would just take the straightforward approach," she said diplomatically and handed him the notebook.

He took it and looked at her questioningly. "Sally, what is up?" he asked seriously, realizing finally that she was upset about something.

"Just read the first page, I think it will explain things better than I could," she said.

Derek lifted the cover and began to read what looked like a pro-con type list. His brow furrowed as he read each line. Sally waited patiently (he was a slow reader) until he got to the part that she knew would be the epiphany moment. However what she hadn't thought of was the fact that she was dealing with Derek and he was unlikely to see what was right in front of him, especially if it was something that he had been trying to deny for awhile.

"What exactly am I looking at here?" he asked.

"Are you serious?" she asked, but she knew from his expression that he was. "You are either really clueless or deep in denial and I don't know which is worse. Look at the last column, it says my name!" she said, exasperated.

Of course Derek knew what that meant, he knew what the list meant as soon as he had read it, but he just couldn't bring himself to admit it out loud. But he knew that he couldn't avoid it for long, knew suddenly what Sally wanted to talk about. He even knew what that thought was that had been plaguing him for weeks, refusing to come to the surface. All of this information had hit him like a ton of bricks as soon as he read the list so all he had managed to do was play dumb when he knew Sally was looking for a response.

"Derek, if I have to spell it out for you I will. Casey wrote that list about you," Sally continued.

"Yeah. I know." Derek said in a stunned whisper, still unable to tear his eyes from the page.

"So, Derek," Sally said with a deep breath and her tone finally made Derek look up into her eyes. "I just have to ask you one question. Despite my best judgment I am going to trust you to answer me truthfully. Do you have any feelings for Casey?"

Derek looked at her dumbfounded for a moment. He knew the answer of course, but looking into the eyes of one of the few girls he actually cared about he couldn't find it in him to answer. The silence just made it worse for Sally, but she held in her tears. She still needed her answer.

"Derek, please, just look me in the eye and tell me that that you don't have any feelings for Casey. We can just forget all about this, I will never question you again, just please say that you don't lo…that you don't feel the same way about her that she feels for you," Sally pleaded.

Derek Venturi had recently been experiencing some very strange things lately, but this was by far the strangest. For the first time he found that he couldn't lie, not about this.

"I…I can't tell you that Sally," he said.

"Well, there that is." She said resolutely, as if it settled things. Which, in a way, it did.

"Sally, I really do care about you a lot. I honestly hate hurting you. I…I am so sorry," he said and she laughed contritely.

"You know it almost makes it worth it to hear the great Derek Venturi sound so sincere. But it's ok Derek, I was really upset when I thought you were just stringing me along but…you really are just that clueless aren't you? Even of your own feelings."

"Hey, I have never claimed to be good with feelings. But really, I had no idea, I mean that seems so stupid I just…I guess I am really good at denying things," he said, feeling stupid.

"I have never heard you be this open, you feeling alright?" she joked.

"It has been a strange day, I am feeling a little off my game at the moment," he said and smiled. "Are you going to…you know, I mean…"

"I am going to be fine Derek, don't worry. You know me, I am tough. I'll be over this in no time," she said with a weak smile. "So…not that it is my business anymore, but what are you going to do now?"

Derek threw his head back on the couch and covered his face with his hands. "Oh shit Sally, what am I going to do now?" he asked sadly.

She put his arm around him sympathetically. "What you always do, you are going to get the girl."

"Whatever guy isn't stupid enough to fall for his stepsister is going to be really lucky to have you Sal," Derek said and Sally smiled a real smile. "I really do like you, and I know this sounds so clichéd but could be maybe be…"

"Oh Derek," she interrupted, "I would love to be friends. I think that is what we were always meant to be, actually."

"You really are a ridiculously awesome girl you know," he said.

"Yeah, I know," she replied and they both laughed.

"Well I guess I should go," he said awkwardly.

"Don't be a stranger; I want to know how this thing works out with you two. As much as I would love to hate her for stealing my mind, your stepsister really is a great girl," she said.

"Yeah, that is my main problem at the moment," he said with a sigh and Sally walked him to the door.

They hugged and she sent him on his way with another smile to show that she was ok. Only after he left did she let one single tear fall and that was it. Sally didn't cry over any guy for long. She shut the door on that portion on her life and did what she always did: moved forward.

**A/N: Ok, so I know this was a short chapter but I didn't think I could fit everything in to make this my final one, so there will be one more Dasey-licious chapter and I promise it will be worth the wait. I hope that this was at least semi-realistic, I think it was since the whole reason Derek liked Sally in the first place was because she got over things so fast but I may have made her too understanding just to make myself feel better, oh well lol. As always thanks for reading and if you REVIEW I will do a happy dance! **


	9. Chapter 9: Resolutions

**A/N: I don't own Life with Derek. Please, please REVIEW, that is the best part of writing for me. Sorry for the long wait, but without further ado, here is the Dasey filled finale to I Know You. **

Chapter 9: Resolutions

Derek was in such a daze after his breakup with Sally that he scarcely remembered driving home. He walked in the front door and found Edwin sitting on the couch with Lizzie watching television. Nodding in their general direction as a form of hello he flopped down into his chair and then remembered that he hadn't seen them for a day.

"Oh yeah, how was your umm…little party things," he said disinterested.

"Fine, but you're home early. Everything go ok with Sally?" Edwin asked.

"Yeah, it went fine," he said and then as an afterthought, "Oh, well, we broke up though."

"She dumped you?" Lizzie asked incredulously and he narrowed his eyes at his younger stepsister.

"No, she did not _dump_ me. It was a mutual thing," he said, regretting the decision to not go up to his room straightaway.

"Please bro, I have never heard you say 'mutual thing' before. She totally dumped you," Edwin laughed but his smile faded as Derek glared daggers at him.

Just then Casey strutted (alright, well maybe she just walked but it seemed like strutting to Derek) down the stairs. Derek froze, he was not ready to see her yet as he hadn't even decided what to do yet.

"What's going on?" Casey asked, confused as to why Derek was deliberately not looking at her.

"Sally dumped Smerek, but it's ok because Smerek already likes someone else!" Marti said, triumphantly jumping out from behind the couch.

"Really? Who?" Edwin asked, turning to humor his little sister. But Marti just ran out of the room singing 'I've got a secret.'

Casey came all the way into the room and sat next to her sister, annoyingly in the seat closest to Derek.

"Sally broke up with you?" Casey said in a concerned voice and Derek felt a little hurt that she didn't sound happier about it.

"No she did not break up with me, it was mutual and if you don't believe why don't you call and ask her yourself!" he snapped a little too harshly. Casey's hurt expression felt like a blow to Derek's chest so he stormed out of the room and up the stairs.

Once in his room he all but collapsed on his bed. What the hell was he going to do? Despite what Sally had said he had no idea how he was going to just 'get the girl,' especially since the 'girl' was his polar-opposite, not to mention the one girl who saw through him completely, and oh yeah, that little matter of her being his stepsister!

The more he thought about it the less likely it seemed that she could even like him back. After all that she could have lost that list a long time ago and what if it was just one of those passing crushes and she was already over it?

Derek sat up sharply on his bed. He was not the kind of guy to be insecure over a girl. But somehow he knew that Casey wasn't just any girl to him and that he had never felt this way before. Still, he was fed up with all of his wallowing. It was bad enough that his own girlfriend had to point out to him that he liked someone else, now he was too afraid to talk to her? Not Derek Venturi, he told himself strongly, although he couldn't banish the slight nervous flutter in his stomach.

Marching downstairs he sat down right next to Casey on the couch, almost too close. She immediately stiffened but didn't move away although it was obvious she was uncomfortable. He didn't know where their respective siblings had gone but was very conscious that he was now alone with Casey for the first time since he had realized how he felt.

Just as suddenly as he had sat down he stood up again and walked into the kitchen, trying to still his heavily beating heart. God, he was acting like a woman, he thought with disgust.

* * *

Casey tried to simultaneously slow her rapid heart rate and figure out what the heck was up with Derek. He had come home saying he had broken up with Sally then stormed out of the room, then returned and sat practically on top of her before running off again. She thought he was either really upset about whatever happened with him and Sally or he was messing with her.

But the thought of him hurting was too much to ignore even if he was messing with her, so she sighed and followed him into the kitchen.

"Derek, are you ok?" she asked and he jumped at the sound of her voice. "Sorry, did I startle you? I was just wondering if you were alright, I mean with Sally and all…"

"Yes I am fine, I break up with girls all the time," he said testily.

"Well, yeah, but Sally seemed really special to you and I just thought"

"You know what Casey, yet again you have no idea what you are talking about ok? Sally was just another girl, just the wrong girl," he didn't mean to snap at her and was upset by her expression.

"I am sorry for making the mistake of thinking you had a heart, but as always you have proven that you are nothing but an insensitive jerk," she said and instantly regretted it as the hurt look in his eyes sent a pain through her own heart.

A new look of determination came into Derek's eyes as he looked into Casey's. She instantly froze as he came closer to her but realized that once again she was in front of the fridge. Not wanting to make a fool of herself she jumped out of his way and walked from the room.

Derek watched Casey leave feeling more frustrated than ever. He was just about to make his move when she walked from the kitchen. Sighing to himself he opened the fridge and looked inside but for once wasn't at all hungry so he just followed Casey out of the room and up the stairs. He went to his own room and grabbed something off of his desk and then stormed into Casey's room without knocking.

She was lying on her bed but sat up startled when he slammed through the door, he looked furious and frustrated and something else she couldn't identify.

"Derek, what is your problem?" she asked.

"YOU! You are my problem!" he yelled, not meaning to sound so forceful but unable to control himself.

Casey's eyes grew wide as she saw the notebook in his hand. She made a grab for it but he held it just out of her reach. She sat back on the bed and put her head in her hands, too embarrassed to even fight.

"You found it," she whispered.

"No, actually Sally found it days ago and waited until now to tell me about it. Listen Casey" he began but she cut him off.

"You can't seriously be blaming me for Sally dumping you? I'm sorry, I never should have written that stuff, I never should have fallen for you in the first place! But if she was stupid enough to break up with you just because of me then she didn't deserve you in the first place!" Casey looked completely mortified and Derek was alarmed to see that she was about to cry. This was not how it was supposed to go, he thought angrily. His frustration with himself must have shown in his expression which only made things worse.

"Casey, you don't" he began but she cut him off again.

"No, Derek, just stop, I said I was sorry and stupid, what else do you want? You don't have to worry about me bothering you. I know you better than anyone else so I know that you will never feel the same way about me so can we just forget about this? Please just get out," she looked so upset and desperate for him to leave that he did without argument.

He made it all the way back to his own room before he had time to wonder why he was leaving. Ok, so he screwed up on his first try, but he was going in there and he was going to find a way to make her listen. But as Derek neared her door for the second time he could hear her sobbing. He couldn't stand tears anyway and he just couldn't bear to see her crying when he knew he was the cause.

So he slunk back to his own bedroom feeling like a coward and a failure. But being Derek Venturi he didn't wallow in defeat for long before formulating a new plan. Since the direct approach had been a massive failure he had two choices: he could try to be subtle or he could attempt something he liked to call the super direct approach. And Derek was anything but subtle, so he was going to have to make her listen.

That night at dinner Casey was puffy-eyed and silent. The rest of the family sent her worried glances but didn't want to say anything to upset her further. She took a tiny amount of food and ate it at warp speed while going out of her way to not look at Derek. But he tried not to notice, confident in his plan that would take effect later that night. After barely eating anything she excused herself much earlier than the rest of the family, but still Derek did nothing.

Derek waited patiently until the rest of the family went to bed later that night. It was around midnight when he was sure that everyone else in the house was fast asleep. Running his fingers through his hair he went over what he planned to say one last time. Finally he squared his shoulders and walked across the hall. Remembering what happened earlier he opted to knock this time. After a long while he heard her walk across the floor and open it.

Without waiting for her to admit him he pushed past her into her room. Before she could say anything he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her into a sitting position onto her bed. Standing in front of her he looked down straight into her eyes.

"You, Casey McDonald, are a liar." He said strongly and her mouth fell open in surprise.

"Derek, what" she started but Derek put his hand over her mouth.

"Nope, no talking, just listen. You are a liar because you said you know me better than anything. But if you did you would never have needed to make this list," he held up the notebook again and tossed it onto the bed next to her. She looked up at him in confusion, silenced now by her puzzlement even though he had removed his hand.

"Because if you knew me," he continued, "you would know that the only reason I dated blondes was because I was trying not to think about you and brunettes just make me think of you more. And the only reason I hate the guys you date is because _I_ wanted to be that guy. See, if you knew me you would know that the only reason I watched Moulin Rouge was because I knew you loved it and it made me think of you. In fact if you knew me at all you would know that the only reason I fight with you is to have an excuse to talk to you, the only reason I wrestle with you is to have an excuse to touch you and the only reason I have never told you how I feel is because I was too stupid to realize it myself and deep down I never thought a girl like you would ever feel anything for an insensitive jerk like me," he paused for a moment to take a deep breath. There was no turning back now.

"So maybe you don't know me as well as you thought, but I know you. I know where you go when you want to be alone. Your favorite food is ketchup but you don't tell people that because you don't want to seem strange. You are passionate and prideful but also sweet and compassionate and absolutely perfect even with all of your flaws. When you're nervous you chew your bottom lip but I don't think you notice. You look the prettiest when you aren't even trying and you smell like flowers all the time. I know what you want to say just by your expression and right now you want to tell me to shut up but you can't find your voice. But more than any of that I know," he paused again, trying to work up the courage to finish what he was saying.

"More than anything else I know that I have never loved anyone as much as I love you Casey McDonald," he said with a final sigh, surprised at himself for actually being able to say it.

She looked up into his eyes looking absolutely stunned. But as blue met brown everything seemed to fall into place. Casey rose slowly from the bed so that she was merely inches away from Derek. He waited for a moment and she angled her head up just slightly. That was all the invitation he needed.

Their lips met, passionate and eager. Casey's every nerve was on fire and she pressed herself closer to him desperately. Derek responded by wrapping his arms around her and lowering her onto her bed, never taking his lips off hers. He tangled his hands in her hair as she moved her lips down to the hollow of his throat, causing him to moan.

Pressing his lips to hers once again he kissed her more slowly and deliberately driving her wild. She happily discovered that his famous reputation was correct; he really was an excellent kisser. He was surprised and thrilled at the ferocity with which she kissed him back and how expertly her tongue moved against his.

His hands began to travel down her body appreciating her curves and sending an electric current running through her. She ran her own hands up his shirt and across his bare chest making him shiver. He lifted her blouse slightly and slid his hands along the smooth skin of her stomach, stopping just short of her chest. They kissed for a long time more and more passionately until Casey pushed Derek back a bit so she could look into his eyes.

"Just in case I didn't make it clear, I love you too Derek," she said with a smile and he smirked back, pulling her out from under him so she could rest her head on his chest. He held her close and kissed her softly on the lips once more. They lay in each other's arms for a long time until Casey yawned.

"Do you want me to go?" Derek asked.

Casey snuggled closer to his side. "Actually I don't ever want to let you out of my sight again in case you decide to come to your senses and remember that I am that annoying keener you despise," she joked and he laughed, "but I think it may be a little awkward if my mom comes to wake me up in the morning and finds us sleeping in the same bed."

"Not to mention that she would probably have a heart attack," Derek joked but it probably wasn't too far off.

Sighing he got off of her bed but pulled her with him since he still didn't want to let go of her.

"Derek, I will still be here in the morning. We do live in the same house," Casey said with a smile.

"Fine, but don't disappear on me," he said and let her go. "Goodnight Casey."

"Goodnight Derek, I love you," she said, wondering why it was so hard to say before.

Derek rolled his eyes playfully. "You know Case, don't think I am going to get in the habit of spouting my feelings just because I said all that stuff tonight. I am still me, and Derek Venturi doesn't do feelings."

"Don't worry, I know exactly who you are and I wouldn't have it any other way," she said.

"You sound like a greeting card," he said and she shoved him in mock annoyance.

"Just go to bed, Derek," she said and then looked worried, "wait, what are we going to do about the family? How are we going to break it to the rents?"

He got a devilish glint in his eye and smirked. "Don't worry, I have a plan."

"Derek…" she said warily but he just winked and left her room.

* * *

The next morning Casey was in the kitchen eating breakfast with the George, Nora, Edwin and Lizzie. Derek slept in late as usual and George was about to leave for work when he finally came into the kitchen looking sleepy. He strode confidently up to Casey and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. The rest of the family was silent for a moment as Derek put his arm around her. Everyone froze including Casey.

"I thought you hated public displays of affection," she hissed in his ear.

"I made an exception, but don't get in the habit," he whispered back.

Edwin was the first in the family to unfreeze.

"Dude, what the heck?" he said in a very confused tone.

"Oh come on Ed, don't tell me you didn't see this coming," Lizzie said with a knowing smile.

Marti came into the room in her pajamas and smiled when she saw Derek's arm around Casey.

"See, I told you Smerek already liked someone else!" she said proudly.

Finally Nora snapped out of it. "George, call the office and tell them you are going to be late. Edwin, Lizzie, take Marti and go…somewhere else. Derek, Casey, living room, now. Apparently we have a lot to talk about."

She strode authoritatively into the next room; George followed her while dialing the phone. Derek moved to follow but Casey grabbed his arm and pulled him back.  
"_That_ was your plan?" she asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "Got the point across didn't it? Come on, it could've been worse, she didn't have a heart attack after all."

"You are so not taking this seriously. What are they going to say? I don't think I can go in there!"

"Sure you can, I know you. And I'll be right beside you."

Derek was standing right there, looking at her like she always thought he never would. At that moment Casey felt she could face a nuclear attack. Still, it was another matter entirely facing her mother. She twined her fingers with Derek's and together they walked in to face the future.

**A/N: I am going to leave it at that unless I get the urge to write an epilogue or if people are desperate for a more concrete ending. As always I want to thank you for reading and beg you without an ounce of shame to please REVIEW!! Thank you for sticking with my story until the end, I hope I delivered what you were looking for and didn't leave anyone unsatisfied. All the support has been great, keep the Dasey ship alive!**


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